After their first two record deals, the band eventually had an identity crisis, “We had bad promotion, a bad record release—bad everything,” recalls Congé. And without ever really taking off, they crashed—and out of those ashes rose the band Savages, which was the brainchild of guitarist Gemma Thompson, who played with John and Jehn. Jehnny became their lead singer, and Johnny stayed on as their producer; with his darkly quiet sound as a solo artist was integral to the band’s development.
Although still together, and not officially defunct as John & Jehn, both spend most of their current time on their other projects.
Survive
John & Jehn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Go on and admit it
You can't take it anymore
So why don't you quit it
Your scratching off again
Can't you see it
Well the whole thing was such a surprise
I know you and your hear crazy notions
Your pretty girls and no devotions
Down by the ocean middle class
Down by the gulf side, you let it all slide
But now your saying that you don't
Wanna be a sixteen year old girl, aah
But you don't want to turn twenty-five
You never ever, you never ever lied,
Where you been, aahh
You got to survive to keep yourself alive,
Yeah-ah, yeah
It ain't no big deal if your attitude is wrong
And you don't know how you feel
You just cop someone else's ideas
And masturbate yourself, make them your own
Well I, I don't mean to tell you what to do
Cause I've scratched off myself a time or two
Well it just leaves you blue, with nothing to do
And they think I'm crazy when I stay up all weekend
But now your saying that you don't
Wanna be a sixteen year old girl, oh yeah, aah
But you don't want to turn twenty-five
You never ever, you never ever lied
Where you been, aahh
You got to survive to keep yourself alive
Yeah-ah, my na na no, yeah
So if I'm walking down the street and you see me
Don't walk on by, say hey man
You know your looking, your looking so fine
You don't have to mean it, no no
Its just one of the regular lies that we've lived with
And this is a love song and
I'm writing it just to survive
John & Jehn's song "Survive" tells the story of someone who is struggling to find their place in society and is constantly searching for their identity. The lyrics suggest that the person is feeling overwhelmed and exhausted from trying to conform to societal norms and expectations. The chorus emphasizes the importance of surviving, even if it means sacrificing one's individuality.
The first verse begins with the singer admitting defeat, acknowledging that they can no longer tolerate the pressures that come with trying to fit in. The phrase "your scratching off again" could be interpreted as a metaphor for peeling away the layers of societal expectations and revealing one's true self. However, the singer is met with a surprise, suggesting that the journey to self-discovery is not easy.
The second verse continues to explore the theme of societal pressure and conformity. The singer describes a group of people who are defined by their material possessions and superficial values. The line "you let it all slide" implies that they have lost touch with their individuality and authenticity. The chorus emphasizes the importance of survival, acknowledging that it's necessary to compromise some aspects of oneself to stay alive in a society that values conformity.
Overall, John & Jehn's "Survive" is a poignant commentary on the societal pressures that people face in their quest for identity and authenticity. The lyrics serve as a reminder of the importance of survival and the sacrifices that often come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Go on and admit it
It's time to face the truth.
You can't take it anymore
It's overwhelming and unbearable.
So why don't you quit it
Why not give up if it's too much for you.
Your scratching off again
You're reverting back to old habits.
Can't you see it
Are you blind to the reality of what's happening.
Well the whole thing was such a surprise
It all caught you off guard and was unexpected.
I know you and your hear crazy notions
I'm aware of your eccentric and bizarre ideas.
Your pretty girls and no devotions
You're fond of attractive women but not committed to any of them.
Down by the ocean middle class
You hang out by the sea among the average people.
Down by the gulf side, you let it all slide
You go to the Gulf and let everything go, without any care.
But now your saying that you don't
You claim that you're not interested in something anymore.
Wanna be a sixteen year old girl, aah
You don't want to be youthful and naive anymore.
But you don't want to turn twenty-five
But you don't want to grow old either.
You never ever, you never ever lied,
You've never been dishonest in your life.
Where you been, aahh
Where have you been all this time.
You got to survive to keep yourself alive,
You need to persevere to stay alive.
Yeah-ah, yeah
An expression of agreement or affirmation.
It ain't no big deal if your attitude is wrong
It's not that important if you have a poor outlook on things.
And you don't know how you feel
You're unsure of your emotions and what you want.
You just cop someone else's ideas
You steal other people's thoughts and use them as your own.
And masturbate yourself, make them your own
You indulge in self-pleasure, making the copied ideas sound like yours.
Well I, I don't mean to tell you what to do
I don't intend to boss you around.
Cause I've scratched off myself a time or two
Because I've given up on things before.
Well it just leaves you blue, with nothing to do
It makes you sad and bored with no purpose in life.
And they think I'm crazy when I stay up all weekend
People misconstrue my staying up late on weekends as insanity.
But now your saying that you don't
You're insisting that you're not into it anymore
Wanna be a sixteen year old girl, oh yeah, aah
You don't want to act immaturely anymore.
Yeah-ah, my na na no, yeah
An expression of agreement or affirmation.
So if I'm walking down the street and you see me
If we pass each other on the street.
Don't walk on by, say hey man
Don't ignore me, greet me with respect.
You know your looking, your looking so fine
You acknowledge that I look good and presentable.
You don't have to mean it, no no
You don't have to say it and mean it.
Its just one of the regular lies that we've lived with
It's a common untruth that people often do.
And this is a love song and
This is a song about love.
I'm writing it just to survive
I'm composing it to endure and continue living.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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